But striking the correct balance between darkness and light is the key. Please support high-quality local journalism. Because root rot disease is more prevalent at temperatures below 60 degrees F, do not put the poinsettia in a room colder than this. Starting in late September, place the poinsettia in a spot where it's in complete darkness for approximately 13 hours each night. Poinsettias, although hardy, dislike drafts and resent temperatures below 65 degrees. Keep in mind that during this ‘blackout’ period any errant night lighting, of sufficient intensity, can mess up a poinsettia’s biological clock and prevent the flower transformation. If these little fuzzy white insects are present, remove them with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. With the proper care and the correct regimen, you can keep your poinsettia plant all year – and even get it to bloom again. Virginia Bodrate is a past president of The Great Kills Garden Club and Officer on District One Federated Garden Club. Too little darkness and your poinsettia will remain completely green, but too much darkness and it be reminiscent of Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree. Feed it twice monthly with a well-balanced commercial plant food, following the manufacturer's directions. Poinsettias brighten the holidays. (You can keep it in the same place as your mushroom log !) At the end of the dark treatment, the bracts (modified leaves that turn the showy colors we think of as poinsettia "flowers") start to change colors. Classes in Horticulture are open to the public. Name: Elaine Hill E-mail: elaine.pisces@gmail.com Date posted: November 10, 2011 - 10:18 am Message: unfortunatly I did not keep the year long schedule for the poinsettia as above,but carried on watering, its still okay with lots of leaves and growth showing. The Poinsettia is a light sensitive plant. Just as the lily has become a symbol of the Easter season, and roses the messenger of St. Valentine, so the poinsettia has found favor as the official flower of Christmas. At dusk, place your plant in a dark room (many people use a closet) or cover the plant with a … Because flower initiation depends upon the length of the dark period, your poinsettia must be kept completely dark from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. During the day, the plant needs bright light, but it should be placed in complete darkness every evening. Read more about cookies here. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Early in the evening put it to bed in a closed closet or a large cardboard box, or make a tent with a dark cloth over the top portion of the plant. But for those intrepid few amongst us who just love the challenge of transforming a green poinsettia into one that is red, white, or all the colours in between, here is the information you need for blooming success. Barring any unforeseen occurrence, if you follow this advice you more than likely will be able to celebrate all the season's festivities along with a newly bloomed plant. Water thoroughly and then put the plant back in a sunny window. Poinsettias need the right amount of darkness to bring out their rich colours in time for Christmas. © 2020 Edmonton Journal, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. Now you can bring back to the sunniest spot you have in your home, this will keep it at a temperature … The plant, native to that country, has found an enthusiastic and worldwide acceptance because of its beauty and ease of cultivation. 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4. Well, it’s true that if your poinsettia spends a bit of time in a dark closet, it begins its miraculous transformation from a plant that is completely green to one that is brilliantly coloured. Avoid temperature fluctuations and warm or cold drafts. Now, if you don’t have closet space for your poinsettia, covering the plant with a cardboard box will do. Complete darkness is imperative to blooming. We encountered an issue signing you up. Beginning October 1st, they will need 12 hours or more of total darkness a day for about … Warm nights that are somewhere north of 24 degrees Celsius will prevent the development of rich pigments in the bracts (the coloured leaves that we often refer to as flowers). Something as innocent as turning on a light at night for 10 or 15 minutes can be enough to disrupt the blackout period and prevent flowering. This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Check the poinsettia periodically to make sure the plant has adequate moisture. If you have been nurturing last year's Christmas poinsettia in anticipation of bringing it into bloom this coming holiday season, you have now reached an important milestone. For additional information call 718-667-1146. There was an error, please provide a valid email address. Yes, I know that the vast majority of people can’t be bothered keeping their poinsettias year round, let alone try to coerce them to bloom for Christmas.

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